


You Said You'd Grow Old With Me

by mysterio833



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Endgame, M/M, Stucky - Freeform, mcu - Freeform, stevebucky - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 13:34:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19442497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysterio833/pseuds/mysterio833
Summary: Based on the song "You Said You'd Grow Old With Me" by Michael Schulte.Steve was leaving, Bucky remembers the promise Steve made.





	You Said You'd Grow Old With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Listen to the song this is based on, "You Said You'd Grow Old With Me" while you read this. I am slowly getting back into writing so be nice. Let me know what you think!

Bucky knew what Steve was going to do, of course, he knew. He knew Steve better than anyone else could. All he had to do was look at his face, it said it all you needed to know. Bucky would never say anything to Steve about staying, going back to live a life he has talked about having since they were children, he knew it was going to make him happy. That’s all Bucky has ever wanted, for Steve to be happy, even if he had to suffer, it was a sacrifice he was willing to make a thousand times. Steve has done everything for the world, he never looked after himself, never did anything for himself, Bucky was going to make sure he finally got peace. 

“I’m going to miss you, buddy.” Bucky smiled, heartache running through him. This was their goodbye. The two of them, pull each other into a hug, Bucky zoned out, thinking back to the time they were children, the times where they almost said goodbye.

_Steve was sick. Again. This time, it was much worse than it has been previously. It wasn’t looking good, Steve is weak, coughing up his lungs. Pneumonia. This is it, Bucky thought, this is where I lose him. That's something Bucky thought every time Steve was sick but this time was different. He’s not getting better, the doctors said there's not much they can do for him, that it was time to say goodbye because he could be gone at any minute. It scared Bucky, the thought of having to live a life without his best friend, his first real love. Not that anyone could know about that, not even Steve. But Sarah Rogers knew, mothers always know._

_Sitting at the side of the bed of a sleeping Steve, Sarah pushing the hair out of Steve's face, Bucky on the other side of the bed, looking at Steve with worry and affection, “You love him, don’t you James?”_

_It caught Bucky off guard, he started to panic, “He's my best friend-” He was cut off midsentence, thankfully. Bucky didn’t know how to answer without outing himself._

_“You know what I mean, James. I see the way you look at him, the things you do for my baby. You love him more than just as a friend, and there is nothing wrong with that,” Sarah looked over at Bucky, a sigh of relief over his face, “I know how much he means to you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you giving him your rations, or going out of your way to getting my boy his medicine, both of us know neither one of us can afford. I never have to worry about him when he’s with you, I trust that you’ll always keep him safe. Thank you, James.”_

_Silence fell between the two of them, Bucky was left speechless. People tend to assume things about Bucky, sometimes he would have to pay the price for it, nothing he couldn’t dish back out. Bucky felt a sense of relief washed through him, he always knew Sarah Rogers was a sweet, accepting woman, but it calms his nerves when she shows it._

_“I do love him, I love him more than words can explain. I would go to the end of the world to make sure he was safe. If I could, I would take all his suffering, he doesn’t deserve to live like this. Never knowing what illness will take him away from us,” Bucky didn’t notice the tears welling up in his eyes, “Steve is the better person out of the two of us. Always standing up for what is right, always wanting to do good. That’s just not me, I could never live up to Steve’s worth. His smile could bring world peace, whenever he’s around, he can just light up a room full of darkness. He deserves someone good, someone, that sees him for who he really is, not some sick, scrawny fragile man.”_

_Sarah reached over, wiping the tears away from Bucky’s cheek, “He loves you too James. He looks up to you, he would always come home talking about you. No one has ever made him that happy, there is something different about you. Whatever it might be, don’t change that, stay yourself, no matter what you go through in life. Remember who you are James.”_

_The two of them didn’t notice that Steve has woken up, they were lost in conversation, Steve keeping his eyes closed, listening in on it. Sarah was the first to see him awake, she brings her hand up to his forehead, his fever seems to be going down. Getting up, to leaves to go to the restroom to get a towel, in an attempt to bring his fever even lower. It was just Steve and Bucky in the room now._

_“Did you really mean what you said, you sap?” Steve looked over at Bucky, he’s still weak._

_“Yeah Stevie, yeah I did. Every word. I will keep saying it until the day I die.”_

_"I love you, Buck.” Steve smiled, Bucky returned with one, tears still in his eyes._

_“How are you feeling, pal?” Truth be told, Steve feels horrible, he can’t breathe, his body is hot, his body aches. But he would never show it, not to Bucky, not to his mother, not to anyone._

_"Good, I’m going to be okay Buck, you can’t get rid of me that easily.” Both of them laughed, which caused Steve pain._

_“I can’t have you leaving me. Who am I going to save from a fight he is outmatched in?”_

_“I had all of them on the ropes and you know it!” He didn’t, he never does._

_“Sure Stevie, if you say so.”_

_Bucky still had his hand intertwined with Steves, he didn’t want to let go, for fear that Steve might slip away. Steve could sense there was something eating away at Bucky, they can read each other like the back of their hands._

_“Buck, I’m staying here. with you, with my mother. I’m not ready to leave yet. I have so much to do still, stuff we still have to do together. Buck, you’re my best friend, there’s nothing that’s going to change that. Nothing will come between us. I’m going to grow old with you, cause I’m with you until the end of the line.” Steve managed to say between coughs._

_Sarah came back into the room, cold town in hand, she heard everything the two boys said. Placing the towel on Steve’s forehead, water droplets running down the side of Steve’s face, she smiles at the two of them. “Never give up on each other, there is a special bond between both of you, you will always find a way back to each other.”_

  
Steve was the first one to let go first, breaking Bucky’s heart, knowing this would be the last hug they shared before things changed. Steve was leaving, even though he was coming back, it wouldn’t be the same, Steve. This would be a Steve he didn’t recognize, not his Stevie, but someone else's. He got the life he wanted, something Bucky wishes he could find. He had a home, in Steve, that's all he had left from his time. The only person that knew the real James Buchanan Barnes, people now only know him for the things he did as The Winter Soldier. He’s a man out of time, his memories still broken. He’s alone, just like he knew he would be. 

_You said you’d grow old with me, Steve._


End file.
